Question is not if, but when Syracuse University's Arthur Jones will go in NFL draft

Frank Ordoñez / The Post-Standard, 2009Arthur Jones, a Syracuse University co-caption in 2009, is projected as going anywhere from the mid-second round to the fourth round in most mock NFL drafts.
Syracuse, NY -- At some point in the next three days, former Syracuse University defensive tackle Arthur Jones likely will have good reason to flash his trademark smile.

The near-certainty is that the 6-foot-3, 300-pound nose tackle’s name will be called sometime during the National Football League’s annual draft, which starts tonight in New York City and ends Saturday evening.

Jones, the All-Big East player whose senior season ended early last fall when a torn meniscus put him out of SU’s final three games, isn’t particular about the location.

“Whoever is paying the most and will draft me the highest,” Jones said — trademark smile on full display — when asked during a recent SU spring practice where he’d like to end up.

Jones is one of several former Orange players expected to get the call during this year’s draft.

Another is receiver Mike Williams of Buffalo — a player whose talent is a given but whose off-field issues and behavior might push him lower in the draft.

A third player being talked about, albeit a longshot as a draft pick, is quarterback Greg Paulus. His one-year stint as Orange signal caller after a four-year basketball career at Duke has fueled speculation that some NFL team might spend a late-round choice on him, or sign him as a free agent.

Jones, through his agent Joe Panos, declined interview requests this week, saying he didn’t want to speak to reporters until after his name is called. But Panos, who played seven seasons for the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles, had lots to say about his client on Wednesday.

“He’s an easy sell,” Panos said of Jones, whose 38.5 career tackles for loss are an SU record. "He's just a joy to be around."

A pair of surgeries in 2009, one for a torn pectoral muscle early in the year and the other on his left knee in November, have made Jones anywhere from a second-to fourth-rounder on most draft boards.

The knee surgery caused Jones to miss the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine in February. Jones did work out for scouts in earlier this month in the Carrier Dome, but his running was limited because of a hamstring issue.

Panos said neither the pectoral muscle or the meniscus are issues any longer.

“We’ve had contact from all 32 teams,” he said. “Let’s get one thing clear. Arthur is 100-
percent healthy. That’s a non-issue.”

Like his client, Panos refused to speculate on where Jones might be taken. He also declined to talk about which teams showed more interest in Jones.

Jones did say earlier this month that he had private visits to the Buffalo, New England and Atlanta organizations.

Williams, a 6-2, 220-pound receiver, is another mystery draftwise. He could go as high as the second round, according to some analysts, but could also slip way down because of things that happened at SU.

Williams had scouts from six teams attend a recent workout in Buffalo, including the Bills, Browns Buccaneers, Chargers, Packers and Ravens. He also has made visits to Baltimore, Cleveland, Miami, San Diego and Tampa Bay, according to the Buffalo News.

“If I don’t go in the first round, I’m going to be the steal of the NFL draft,” he told the Buffalo News.

But Williams, who caught 133 passes for 2,044 yards and 20 TDs in 31 games for the Orange, sat out the 2008 season because of academic issues. Then he left the team last November, after his involvement in an early morning traffic accident made it likely he’d be suspended from the team for a second time in the 2009 season.

Williams claims he was kicked off the team. SU says he quit.

Question is, how much will character or maturity issues cost Williams?

Paulus probably won’t be drafted, but its likely that some team will sign him as a free agent. The former Christian Brothers Academy star, who opted for basketball at Duke over a ton of football scholarship offers, has worked out for NFL scouts twice at SU.

A posting on the New York Times’ “The Fifth Down” blog, listed him as one of several “unappreciated” players in the draft. Paulus, who completed 193 of 285 passes for 2,024 yards and 13 TDs in his only collegiate football season, was ranked as the No. 42 quarterback prospect by NFLDraftScout.com.